To Choose Fate
by kyumis
Summary: Astoria thinks about her marriage life, a little confession from Hermione and a realization from Draco.


**Disclaimer: I wished I write as good as Rowling, apparently, I don't and my life revolves around pixels. 8D**

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**_Astoria thinks about her marriage life, a little confession from Hermione and a realization from Draco. _**

Hermione never expected to see Astoria at St Mungo's. It had been 4 years since she last saw her, each time, an unfortunate event which brought the latter here, and Hermione always had to be the one giving her the bad news. She was thankfully that this time, she had come on foot, and not by emergency personnel.

"Can I talk to you?"

Nodding her head, Hermione smiled at the receptionist, before dropping her files on hand walked out of the hospital to the park nearby, Astoria in tow.

Astoria Greengrass settled on a bench near the lake, while the other lady followed behind, occasionally dragging her feet on the ground. She was sorting her thoughts, wondering how to broach the subject to Hermione. Hermione Granger was the only one that had crossed her mind when she and her husband had a quarrel last night, and it ended quite ugly.

"I had a fight with Draco yesterday." She started quietly. She knew Hermione had heard her, because her gaze left her shoes and was now focused on her. "He said we should divorce." Hermione eyes wider, and was about to speak something, but was cut off by another sentence. "He is overseas now. He left a note saying he is sorry about last night. But I am still so confused."

Astoria looked so drained of energy, and it pained Hermione to know that Draco had done that to the poor lady. Their marriage wasn't exactly a walk in the park. Lucius had forced Draco to marry a pureblood, and leaving Draco no choice, he chose the girl whom he had treated as a sister for the marriage. After the marriage, Narcissa had pestered them to have children, and it wasn't that they didn't want to. Astoria had problems with her womb, and each time she was pregnant, the family would rejoice for a while, but a few months later, she would fall really ill, and a miscarriage after that. Draco was really frantic the first time Astoria was wheeled into the emergency room, and Hermione had never seen him cry. That was the first emotional side of him shown to her, even after 10 years of friendship.

After 3 times, Draco gave up, and while he still was Astoria's husband, both of them saw the change in him. He made himself busy with work, and spent less time at home, less time with his wife.

Hermione pat the younger lady on the back, giving her wordless comfort.

"I think he still has a thing for Pansy." And Hermione couldn't help but stifle a laugh.

"I don't think he does. Gosh, it has been so long! Are you serious? I would know if he does. Plus Pansy is off in France and it had been a decade since she contacted any of us. Any feelings would have been gone by then." Astoria gave the older woman a small smile. She still had her doubts, but knowing Hermione and her nature of being overly concerned, she had to put up her pretence.

"You know, I used to like Draco. I thought he liked me too. And when he misplaced a love letter he had written on my table, I was ecstatic. But oh, how wrong I was. When I saw Draco with Pansy at the Quidditch field that afternoon holding hands, I wouldn't take the flood of sadness that overwhelmed me. I think I cried for a week." Hermione gave her a smile, and continued, "But in that week of crying, I learnt something. While it really hurts in the heart to see both your good friends together, to wish them happiness is also is a form of loving. I got over it, although it was really tough. And when Pansy first love, Adrian Pucey went after her, I tried so hard to keep him at bay. But who would have guessed that Adrian is now my husband. It's really up to fate on such things you know." Both women shared a smile, Astoria knew Hermione was right. Draco was overseas now, and he wouldn't be able to be contacted for the next few days. There was no use for her to get paranoid over this matter.

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"Draco? DRACO! Don't leave me, please!" Astoria's desperate cries were left unheard as Draco turned his back on her and started walking away from her. She jolted out of her bed, face dripping with perspiration and palm clammy. It felt so real, and that left her shook up, badly.

Without warning, the fireplace in the room roared to life, and Draco's head popped out. "Hello. Are you awake?"

Nodding her head, Astoria looked at her husband, who seems a little flustered.

Draco felt terrible. Not only did he manage to reduce his wife into a crying machine 2 nights ago, he couldn't even apologize to her properly the following morning. Thank goodness for post-it notes.

He knew he had to make his apology speech soon, but guilt was eating him alive, and with that, he decided to make his floo call.

His wife looked like she had just woken up, he didn't mean to disturb. But this was the time like no other.

"Anyway, I called to tell you some things. First off, I am sorry for the quarrel. I shouldn't have snapped. Don't fret over what I said that night. I don't mean a single thing I said." Astoria slightly nodded. "But that isn't why I floo-ed. I was thinking if I had to make a last floo in my life, which person would I floo to. Then, I realized it would be you. I missed you a lot. I am sorry for not being a good husband. We should go out for a meal when I am back, one which is quarrel free. I have to go already. Client is here. I love you." Draco gush everything out in one breath, before closing off the floo network. He didn't want to risk Astoria throwing anything within her arm's length at him. Astoria wasn't a violent person, but hell yields no woman's wrath. It's better to steer clear.

"I-I love y-you t-too." she whispered, tears stinging her eyes. She reached for the yellow post-it note absently, slowly admiring the ugly scribbles of Draco's 'I am sorry' and 'I love you'.

Perhaps it is a sign that their marriage wasn't a forced one, but something that was filled with true love and it was fate that had brought them together.

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**I would love to know what you guys thought of this story, because I don't actually know what kind of a lady Astoria was, and me picturing her was a somewhat fragile character seem fitting here. Please give me your opinions and thoughts! (:**


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